The Truth Beneath the Beauty
by XxXMiyavisHeartXxX
Summary: Maria moves to California much to her disapproval when her mom gets a new job and sends her off to a Boarding school. While she tries to make the best of it, she meets a mysterious boy named Bill Kaulitz, who nobody seems to know anything about, or care to find out. Why does the school seem to be afraid of this boy? And why is Maria drawn to him by some unknown reason? Tokio hotel.
1. California

**The Truth beneath the Beauty**

**Chapter One**

The bus ride home was the same as any other day. Cramped, boring, and loud. I sat by the window in the back, next to my best friend, Silvia Marquie. We have been friends since kindergarten, and have been inseparable ever since.

Silvia was chatting with Johnny in the seat across from us. Silvia had a major crush on Johnny, and finally got the chance to talk to him. I gave them some privacy, unlike everybody else sitting around us, and looked out the window.

We were driving in downtown Chicago by now, and the tall buildings hung over us, creating shadows momentarily as we passed them.

It was the middle of June, and the bus was stifling hot. We pulled up to a large apartment and I worked my way to the front of the bus.

"Thanks, Charlie," I called to the driver.

"Goodbye, Maria," he called as he pulled the door closed. I walked up to the door of the large building. I twisted the knob and stepped inside.

Once I arrived at our apartment, I was greeted by hugs and smiles from my mom. Something good must have happened. Maybe they officially declared Hockey an overrated sport. No, maybe not.

"Mom, what's going on?" I managed to say between the continuous attacks of kisses. The attacks subsided from a moment as she answered.

"Maria, I got a contract with a company who wanted an artist in Carmel. We're moving to California." I was stunned, unable to move as my mom continued, happily moving around. Moving? To California? No. No way.

"Maria? Maria?" my mom was shaking my shoulders, bringing me back down to earth. "Maria, are you ok?"

"Oh…yes, I'm fine."

"It seemed as if you went into a state of shock when I told you."

"No mom, it's great," I told her, faking a smile, "When do we move?"

"This weekend. We won't be able to bring a lot of our stuff. Only our clothes and personal things like pictures and books," she told me as she started packing up blankets into boxes.

"This weekend? Isn't that a bit quick?"

"Well, honey, I have to start working the Tuesday after."

"Mom! I'm almost finished Grade 11, and you're pulling me out right near the end?"

"Well, you can finish Grade 11 with me, but you will attend Stevenson School next year. It's the best boarding school in all of California."

"A BOARDING SCHOOL?!" this was getting worse and worse by the minute.

"Just give it a chance, sweetie, maybe you'll like it. It's a new beginning. Please, Maria?" she looked at me with pleading eyes. I wanted to scream that I didn't want to move; that I wanted to stay in Chicago with my friends, but I couldn't do that to her. She was so happy about getting this job and moving.

"Maybe I _will_ like it," I told her with a sigh, "Okay."

"Thank you, Maria," she said, hugging me, "and you never know…this place could be _better_ than Chicago." I doubt it. I helped my mom make dinner before going to bed early. I just wanted to sleep away the rest of the night so I didn't have to think about this anymore.

~!~

"I still can't believe you're moving…," Silvia said quietly, just as miserable as I was when mom sprang the news on me earlier this week.

"To California," I repeated for the fourth time today. Today was Friday. We left tomorrow.

"This is so unfair! Why does your mom insist on you moving to California with her?" she asked, but already knew the answer. "You know you could always stay at my house."

"No good. I already tried that. There's no way." Of course I hadn't actually talked to my mom about it. I knew what she thought about California and us starting a new life. Chicago didn't hold many good memories for her since dad left. I could really care less. He was an asshole anyways.

"Well, this really sucks." I just nodded silently. Of course it did. The bus pulled up to the home that I had grown up in, the home I would soon be leaving forever. I sighed and stood up sadly to get off the bus.

Silvia and I said our goodbyes, and hugged before I left. The next day we packed up the remainder of our belongings that we were taking and drove off to the airport. I looked out the window, trying to remember everything I could about the city that I was leaving forever.

I sat down on the plane, looking out over Chicago. The windy city. My city. My home. No matter where mom and I moved, it would never feel like home. I thought about this even as the plane lifted off the ground, taking me to the last place in the world I wanted to be.


	2. Mystery Boy

**Chapter Two**

_Two months later_

I was nervous. I was never very good when it came to starting in new schools. I had chosen to wear my blue blouse with my brown cotton mini skirt. I curled my brown chestnut hair, and pinned it up with a clip. I don't usually spend much time on make-up, but today I spent time making sure that I put my entire make up on properly. The mascara, eye liner, blush; the whole deal.

Mom drove me to the school. It was situated on a large hill overlooking the ocean.

"You're going to love it, Maria. Daily trips to the beach!" she smiled. I didn't even have the heart to tell her that I didn't own a bathing suit. We turned onto a narrow road, lined with trees on either side. I could see beams of sunlight shining through breaks in the cover of the trees.

"Whoa…" It was beautiful. We had opened into a large, open area. There was a large fountain on my right. There were people sitting around it. Some were splashing each other, and some were watching us as we drove up the long driveway. We were approaching a series of large buildings. A building was on the left, and another on the right, with a much larger building directly ahead. We drove towards the largest building, right down the middle. I saw people around my age, and a few younger than me, looking to see what all the commotion was about.

We parked out front of the large building. Mom instantly went inside to find the principle. I started pulling out my suitcases from the backseat of my mom's new Volvo. I fumbled as I tried to lift all of my bags.

"Here, let me help you." A girl my age with long dirty blonde hair picked up two of my bags. Mom popped her head out the doorway.

"In here, honey." She waved for us to follow her.

"Ok. I'll be right there." I turned to the girl. "I'm Maria."

"I'm Alice." She told me as we walked inside. Mom was standing at a counter. There was a sign that said 'front office'.

"Ok, honey. I have to go. The front office will tell you where your room is, ok? I love you. Be good." She kissed me on the cheek and gave me a hug before leaving. Alice and I walked over to the receptionist.

"Hello." I said to the lady.

"Oh, hello. You must be Maria Tredun. Welcome to Stevenson. Here are some brochures for the classes you will be taking, your timetable, and," she paused as she heaved six large books on the counter, "these are your textbooks. Your room numbers is 68."

"Hey, that's my room! Awesome!" Alice told me, "Come on, I'll show you where it is." I grabbed my textbooks, and added them to the pile of things I was already juggling. I followed Alice through an archway, into a small room. There were stairs in front of me with a door on either side of the hallway. We'll get you set up in our room, and then we'll show you around. Classes don't start for another half hour." I nodded. We started up the stairs when my foot caught on the second step, and down I went. I didn't hit the stairs hard, but my textbooks went flying; landing a few feet away. I groaned, lifting myself back up, off the stairs. I started picking up my textbooks when a hand helped me with them, and handed the rest to me. I took them and looked up, expecting it to be Alice, and was surprised.

"Are you ok?" A boy my age with black hair and kohl-rimmed eyes helped me up. His eyes were such a deep brown that I couldn't seem to tear my gaze away. I tried to tell him that I was fine, but my voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't make a sound. Luckily, Alice spoke from behind me.

"Maria, you ok?" she asked. I was still staring into the guy's eyes. Alice seemed to have noticed this. "Bill, your intimidation isn't helping." He looked at me again, giving me a really sexy smirk, his bangs falling across his eyes, giving him a real mysterious look. He leaned in towards me, making my heart beat faster and whispered in my ear.

"Meet me at the fountain at lunch." I looked at him, wide-eyed. He gave me another sexy smirk; stood up, and left. What the hell just happened? He wanted me to meet him, someone I didn't even know. Yet, I had this feeling that I had to. I didn't get the choice. For some reason, I didn't mind. I watched him walk away and sighed. I sat back, still transfixed by what had just happened.

"What'd he tell you?" Alice questioned. I had a feeling that I was not supposed to say anything about the 'meeting', so I just shook my head and kept it to myself.

"Nothing," Alice shrugged it off, and we continued up the stairs.

The room was very nice. It included three beds, three dressers, and two end tables. I claimed the last empty bed, farthest to the right. Alice had the middle bed, and the bed farthest left was occupied by a girl named Rebecca Holmes, who Alice introduced to me.

The morning went as normal as school goes. First, I had my math class. Boring! I hate math. I was never good at it, and it didn't look like I was getting better anytime soon.

Next was Language Arts. This is my favorite class, and possibly my best subject, next to Art. I love writing, and I plan on becoming an author.

My last class before lunch was Computer and Design. It's an interesting class, but I found myself more and more distracted as the time came closer to lunch.

The anticipation was giving me butterflies in my stomach.

I was biting my lip when the bell rang. I packed my books into my bag, and hurried out of the room so that I wouldn't run into Alice or Rebecca as I walked to the fountain.

I never ran into them, but as I got closer to the fountain, I slowed down; starting to rethink about what I was doing. I was about to turn around, and walk away when I saw Bill looking at me, smirking. Damn, I couldn't leave now. I took a deep breath, and continued walking.

I noticed how nobody seemed to be around him. In fact, they seemed to go out of their way to avoid him. I couldn't understand why. It wasn't like he was unattractive. In fact, he was the opposite. He was the most attractive guy I'd ever seen. I walked up to him nervously and smiled slightly.

"Uh…hi," was all I managed to say.

"Hello," he smirked back. I just stood there awkwardly, not exactly sure why I was here, or what to do. He smiled, chuckled lightly to himself, and stood up. "Are you ready to go?"

"Go?" I was confused. What were we going? He smiled again.

"Yes. GO. Are you ready?"

"Uh. I suppose so…um, exactly where _are_ we going?" he looked back at me mysteriously, his bangs hanging lightly in his eyes.

"You'll see."


End file.
